Aussiedistiller, Home Distilling, Moonshine, Home Brew

I see a lot of Yanks running multiple Mason jars are thumpers or as a flavor infuser. I haven't been able to find mason jars in Aus. Does anyone here run something similar?

These may be what you are looking for. I find them very useful.

viewtopic.php?f=24&t=12459

Just because you see something on Moonshiners tv doesn’t mean it’s a great idea :laughing-rolling:
But, you can find mason jars in Woolies

Over here in SA theres a store called Ned's and they have all sorts of mason jars, I always cruise in for a gander as sometime they have the 5 litre ones. But as I found out one has to be very careful with the big mason jars as they do crack easy, all i did was place on the concrete floor 3/4"er's full of CFW wash and it cracked leaking all that CFW goodness out depriving me of another stripping/ spirit run on my minime pot still.

Cheers Bryan

Arismac wrote:These may be what you are looking for. I find them very useful.

https://aussiedistiller.com.au/viewtopi ... 24&t=12459

I actual have some of those jars I use for kombucha. I was worried the rubber/silicon washer might not be high Alc compatible.

Bad idea :handgestures-thumbdown: :handgestures-thumbdown:

I know what you are thinking of doing, I've seen the episode as well.
Keep in mind that the only metals to be used in a still are copper and stainless.
Mason jar lids are neither.

Also know that the seals that are in the lids are fine for water, what the show is actually distilling, but probably not High %ABV alcohol.

Just use a gin basket or thumper to add extra flavour.

The show also stores alcohol in plastic which is another no-no.

scythe wrote:I know what you are thinking of doing, I've seen the episode as well.
Keep in mind that the only metals to be used in a still are copper and stainless.
Mason jar lids are neither.

Also know that the seals that are in the lids are fine for water, what the show is actually distilling, but probably not High %ABV alcohol.

Just use a gin basket or thumper to add extra flavour.

The show also stores alcohol in plastic which is another no-no.

No need to reference moonshiners I dont watch it. I am a member of a face book group and these guys use mason jars for infusing all the time. One of the sill builders over there sells them in banks of up to 12. let me try and link a quick vid. https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/v117/Drake666/0/daff62b3-9f69-4f5b-8c5e-73ea61869595-original.jpg?width=590&height=370&fit=bounds Just one example, a lot are videos which I dont think I can post here. I want to try infusing some blackberries like this next year.

I agree with scythe 100%. Bad idea and I wouldn't do it. I recommend you look at other ways of doing it.

G'Day Snibbo,
are these used for infusions or to compound 'brown' spirit flavours?

It looks interesting, but I am not certain I see the sense in that set up. Guess the only way to find out is for you to have a go and tell us... but for me, it doesn't make a lot of sense, apologies for seemingly torpedoing your idea/enthusiasm.
I used to jump on a lot of new ideas in the beginning and spent lots of money trying this or that and in the end I shot myself in the foot! Used money and time not perfecting any recipe and am regretting that now. I do neutrals only to infuse fruits (look up G-Dropper which works amazingly well with fruit and is the base for almost all of the other 'mixed' drinks in the recipe area. Step up from that is fermenting the fruits directly to make a Brandy and there are numerous pioneers, again in the recipe section.

None of these should stop you trying this avenue if you are determined!

Just be sure that there may be easier ways to achieve the same result as the picture shown that are potential more cost effective and give you a better end result. I always ask myself - "Why aren't the big boys doing it this way?" and by that I am referring to professional AND boutique Distillers!

Things to consider - can those glasses handle the heat/pressure especially suspended from their lid (pretty sure that is not their intended method of containment).

If you are going that way, be sure to start a fresh thread and include the build and subsequent runs - you never know they may have stumbled onto something we have missed...

Good luck.

woodduck wrote:I agree with scythe 100%. Bad idea and I wouldn't do it. I recommend you look at other ways of doing it.

:teasing-neener: beaten to the punch.

Nothing wrong with using thumpers to infuse flavours just dont use mason jars :handgestures-thumbupleft:

I dont like mason jars for two reasons lids are tin and jars are thin glass. Yes they are made for canning/pressure/vacuum vessels but I wouldnt trust em nothing wrong with the idea just the execution needs re thinking imo last thing you want is a broken jar spewing out ethanol vapour..

EziTasting wrote:G'Day Snibbo,
are these used for infusions or to compound 'brown' spirit flavours?

It looks interesting, but I am not certain I see the sense in that set up. Guess the only way to find out is for you to have a go and tell us... but for me, it doesn't make a lot of sense, apologies for seemingly torpedoing your idea/enthusiasm.
None of these should stop you trying this avenue if you are determined!

Just be sure that there may be easier ways to achieve the same result as the picture shown that are potential more cost effective and give you a better end result. I always ask myself - "Why aren't the big boys doing it this way?" and by that I am referring to professional AND boutique Distillers!

Things to consider - can those glasses handle the heat/pressure especially suspended from their lid (pretty sure that is not their intended method of containment).

If you are going that way, be sure to start a fresh thread and include the build and subsequent runs - you never know they may have stumbled onto something we have missed...

Good luck.

So its not my Idea I am on moonshine life, a very good Facebook group and these setup are often posted. They are primarily used for infuse of flavorsome but they must also act as a thumper right. Next Feb I will be harvesting my black berries and raspberries and I am hoping to try infusing some flavored. I will try some of the other jars recommended, I dont think the "real McCoy" mason jars are sold in AU.

Found some pics, a lot where movies. The second and 3rd pic are made buy a US skill manufacture.

Or just strip your spirit soak the berries in your low wines then do your spirit run :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Hey snibbo, I feel that your convinced by this Facebook group and not much that we can tell you will convince you otherwise, but I hope you do follow your own common sense. That last photo, the one with 10 different “thumpers”, can you really tell me what that would achieve?
Unfortunately to me it looks like a wildly American wank factor.

Doubleuj wrote:Unfortunately to me it looks like a wildly American wank factor.

I reckon you would need taste buds more sensitive than a bloodhounds nose to judge this one ... :laughing-rolling: PASS

American Wank Factor lolololol

so are mason jars no good for aging?

Doubleuj wrote:Hey snibbo, I feel that your convinced by this Facebook group and not much that we can tell you will convince you otherwise, but I hope you do follow your own common sense. That last photo, the one with 10 different “thumpers”, can you really tell me what that would achieve?
Unfortunately to me it looks like a wildly American wank factor.

Im not convinced by any group but felt by the response I was getting here no one believed this was even a thing, Wank factor or not. I would have posted Vids of them running but don't think that's possible here. Im only new to this hobbie but not life, I enjoy robust conversation and open to ideas new and old.

I grow blackberries, raspberries and grapes (did a grappa at the start of the year) these fruits will not be ready until next Feb, so its a long term project. I seen some vids and pics on the face book group of these infusion jars running fruit. I thought I would look into it. I can only tell you what the users achieved which is flavour. Wank factor or not IDK . I will stay open minded, and without the right jars (reason for my original post) its risking a bit of melt down and I dont loosing even small amounts of product.

Bullrout wrote:so are mason jars no good for aging?

Mason jars are good, for what they’ve been designed for - preserving. Their seal inside is not designed to handle high percentage alcohol (which is a solvent).

You can use them without the lid, which has been pointed out is a lightweight metal (tin or some composite) which is also not really good for storing or using it with high % alcohol. I use them for collecting my cuts, but without the lid components.

I guess, some of these ideas come in and the experienced crew here just shake their heads... hence the term ‘Wank factor’.

There are guys that use 3-4 plastic bags with cable ties and pvc piping to ferment and again, common sense would shake its head!
This forum is advocating education AND safety because they are trying to make it a legal hobby. Every time weird suggestions are made they undermine that focus and these ideas tend to get shut down quickly, lest someone else copies the idea and ends up in the news for blowing themselves up, or worse others!